A whopping 530 companies took the BTA‘s 10th Annual Bike Commute Challenge. That’s a 22% increase from last year and according to the press release, this represents more than 1600 new bike commuters! Those are impressive numbers.

All kinds of workplaces participated in the Challenge – from congressional offices to landscaping businesses, health care companies to environmental nonprofits, and some of the state’s leading companies, including Intel and Hewlett-Packard.

Check out this quote from the BTA press release:

“I had considered commuting by bike before, but the Bike Commute Challenge provided the momentum to really get me going. I rode approximately 15 miles from my work in Beaverton to my home in NW Portland, up over Skyline and down through the zoo. I was completely exhausted but also entirely exhilarated. The feeling of accomplishment was awesome. I also found that I returned home much more energized and far less stressed than when I drove.”

The trick will be to keep these people riding now that the Challenge is over. Good thing there’s loads of bike fun on the schedule!